Michigan State football will vacate wins as part of a deal with the NCAA over rules violations during the Mel Tucker era.
Michigan State Athletics, the NCAA, and the Division I Committee on Infractions (COI), the COI on Wednesday released a negotiated resolution associated with rules violations by former staff members within the Michigan State football program.
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Michigan State, the NCAA and the COI agreed that the former staff members arranged for and provided impermissible recruiting inducements and benefits and unofficial visit expenses, and engaged in impermissible contacts with prospective student-athletes.
As a result of violations, the COI imposed the following penalties.
- Three years of probation
- A financial penalty of $30,000 plus 1.5% of the budget for the football program
- Restrictions on official visits, unofficial visits, recruiting communication, recruiting-person days and off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations over the three-year probationary period
- Vacation of wins due to participation of three ineligible student-athletes
- Show-cause orders for former staff members
The program will vacate all 14 wins from 2022-2024, which includes five games under current coach Jonathan Smith.
Tucker was fired during the 2023 season after off-the-field sexual misconduct allegations.
Joint Statement from Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., President & J Batt, Vice President and Director of Athletics, Michigan State University:
“Today’s announcement brings closure to an NCAA investigation resulting from violations committed by a previous staff. Michigan State pursued a negotiated resolution to minimize the penalties and limit the possible impact on our current football student-athletes and staff, who were not involved in the violations. With this matter behind us, we are able to move forward, focusing on the present and future of Spartan football.”
“Michigan State athletics is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and operating in compliance with NCAA rules. Our compliance systems worked as intended. Once Michigan State became aware of a level 3 violation, we self-reported and followed all appropriate protocols. This prompt self-disclosure and acceptance of responsibility for the violations mitigated the case and penalties, even as new violations and corroborating evidence were uncovered during the subsequent investigation.
“While we accept the NCAA’s findings and respect the process, we are disappointed in the prescribed penalty related to the vacation of records. We understand that the enforcement process follows established guidelines, but we also recognize the opportunity for continued modernization.”